Archive of Events

Israeli Voices: Contemporary Israeli Films Fall 2011

Thursday, September 22: Waltz with Bashir (2008).
Israeli director Ari Folman's animated documentary on his combat memories of the 1982 Lebanon War won many awards and was nominated for the 2009 Best Foreign Film Academy Award.
“One night at a bar, an old friend tells director Ari Folman about a recurring nightmare in which he is chased by 26 vicious dogs. Every night, the same number of beasts. The two men conclude that there’s a connection to their Israeli Army mission in the first Lebanon War of the early eighties. Ari is surprised that he can’t remember a thing anymore about that period of his life. Intrigued by this riddle, he decides to meet and interview old friends and comrades around the world. He needs to discover the truth about that time and about himself. As Ari delves deeper and deeper into the mystery, his memory begins to creep up in surreal images.”

Tuesday, October 11: City of Borders (2009).
“In the heart of Jerusalem stands an unusual symbol of unity that defies generations of segregation, violence and prejudice: a gay bar called Shushan. CITY OF BORDERS goes inside this underground sanctuary where people of opposing nationalities, religions and sexual orientations create an island of peace in a land divided by war.” The film’s director, Yun Suh, will be introducing the film and speaking with the audience after the film. This film is cosponsored by the LGBT Center at Ithaca College

Tuesday, November 8: Fog (2008)
“A fascinating story of bereavement and mysticism, FOG tells of the quest to unravel the fate of a missing Druze soldier. First Sergeant Mu’in Halabi disappeared at the beginning of the Yom Kippur War during an abortive IDF attempt to conquer Mount Hermon from the Syrians in October 1973. Two weeks later the IDF announced that Mu’in’s body had been found. A casket was buried in Mu’in’s hometown. A month after the battle for the Hermon, a child was born in the Galilean village of Mrar. At the age of four, this child declared that he was the reincarnation of Mu’in, and, indeed, was able to relate almost everything about him. But in 1985 inhabitants of Mu’in’s hometown testified to having heard Mu’in speak on Syrian State Radio. Veteran newsman Rafik Halabi set out on a journey into time, memory, the Druze religion, and harsh Israeli realities in an attempt to uncover what lies behind this multi-layered story or, put more directly, whether Mu’in Halabi is alive.”

Wednesday, November 30: Eyes Wide Open (2008).
“Six decades after the founding of the Jewish State, when cherished historical memories collide with complex realities, how do you build your own individual relationship to Israel? In order to explore this timely question, Paula Weiman-Kelman spent more than a year following a wide range of American Jews, first-timers and frequent visitors, on their journeys to Israel. The result is Eyes Wide Open – a warm and personal film that vividly conveys the joys and ambivalences that inevitably characterize the deep emotional connection between American Jews and the Jewish homeland.”

The film series is cosponsored by Hillel, and Steven Weiss ’91 is generously supporting the series.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Kim Wojtanik in the H&S Dean’s Office at 274-3102 or kwojtanik@ithac.edu. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.